1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for the healing of wounds and more particularly to preventing progression of partial-thickness burns.
2. Description of Related Art
Where a person suffers a burn, the dermal and epidermal layers in the region of the wound are damaged. Closure of the resulting wound is important to prevent loss of body fluids and invasion by micro-organisms. In the case of a partial-thickness burn, epithelial and subcutaneous tissue adjacent to the wound will migrate outwards and eventually grow new tissue over the wound. A wide array of wound coverings has been developed to expedite wound closure and allow the natural processes of repairing the damaged tissue to proceed.
The prognosis of a wound caused by a burn depends on the severity of the injury and particularly the depth of the burn. In general, a partial-thickness burn will heal more quickly and with less complications than a deeply penetrating burn. It has been observed that partial-thickness burns often deteriorate and become more serious, deeper burns, if not treated promptly after incurring the burn injury.
The hands more often suffer burn injuries than other parts of the body. Probably, this is due to the natural reaction of attempting to protect the face with the hands and, in many cases, the burn injury is to the back of the hands. Other parts of the body which more frequently suffer burns may be the arms, feet and legs.
The present invention seeks to provide apparatus for treating injuries to a part of the body, especially injuries caused by burns.